White Plains apartment tenants say they're dealing with multiple maintenance issues

They say water and heat have been on and off, and that both elevators were out of commission.

Lauren Del Valle

Dec 8, 2024, 2:52 AM

Updated 4 days ago

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Residents at 86 DeKalb Ave. in White Plains spoke with News 12 Saturday over their frustration with management and over repeated unanswered maintenance requests.
They say for the past 72 hours, water and heat have been on and off, and that for at least 24 hours, both elevators were out of commission.
This left elderly residents who live on the 11th and 12th floor having to use the stairs.
"Today alone I helped at least five elderly people get upstairs with their groceries. There was one lady, she was winded, she couldn't even walk after the second floor," said Yaribel Luciano.
Luciano has lived in the apartment building for 29 years. She says the problems are never properly addressed.
"We haven't had a second elevator for almost a month now, we don't have heat, we don't have hot water. You complain to them, there's no answer. There's supposed to be a manager inside the office everyday. There'sno one in there," she said.
"I just got back to this building. I left for three days 'cause we didn't have water for three days. It'sreally hard to live here," said Lacrista, a resident of 29 years.
Ed Cafasso, a spokesperson with 86 DeKalb, said in a statement regarding the building, "One of two elevators in the community is serving residents while we await the special order parts needed to return the second elevator to service. Those parts are expected to arrive and be installed next week. The boiler has been repaired [and] residents currently have both heat and hot water. Further work on the boiler is scheduled next week to make sure it is operating efficiently."
Luciano, however, told News 12 on Saturday night that there was no hot water and that the heat was off again.
News 12 contacted the building's office number but had not heard back as of Saturday night.